Sunday, January 27, 2008
Stirringly vague and vaguely stirring!
Yes, we can heal this nation. Yes, we can seize our future. And as we leave this great state with a new wind at our backs, and we take this journey across this great country, a country we love, with the message we've carried from the plains of Iowa to the hills of New Hampshire, from the Nevada desert to the South Carolina coast, the same message we had when we were up and when we were down, that out of many we are one, that while we breathe we will hope, and where we are met with cynicism and doubt and fear and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of the American people in three simple words: Yes, we can.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Easy Woodstuff for Kids
Today I'm going to take a look at a book that I can't remember enjoying as a child, but which must have been a big hit in the 80s, since we still have it sitting around our house today.
The name of the book is Easy Woodstuff for Kids, by David Thompson, with illustrations by Stacy Buhler. You can purchase it here for only one penny!
There are no pictures available on Amazon, so let me tell you about the cover! It shows a little Asian girl with thick bangs and OshKosh overalls looking dejectedly at a piece of string tied around some twigs. On a table in front of her there are, from L-R: a wooden tool box with some tools, a bit of a tree branch with some pencils stuck in it, and finally, a wooden plank with a teapot on it! But there are even more fun projects floating in the sky behind her head! Including: a piece of wood with a wooden cylinder sticking out of it! And, a piece of wood with some twigs glued to it!
Opening the book, we find the enticing table of contents, including such sections as "Sticks Are Made of Wood" where we can find instructions for projects such as "Write Your Name With Sticks." I can't wait until we get to "Scrap Wood Projects" like "A Wooden Trivet Made From A Piece Of Scrap Wood" and "Plywood Projects" like "A Tray Made From Three Pieces Of Plywood" and "The Magic Broom Holder"! I wonder what makes it magic!
Mr. Johnson's introduction is illuminating: "Children move quickly. Their hands move from one thing to another before we can see them. They have to be slowed down. Part of our role is slowing them down, making them conscious of what they are doing, and giving them the opportunity to do something slowly, carefully and deliberately." I can't wait!
A section titled "Hammer" lets us know that "Children love to hammer, but in order to hammer well, they need a good hammer." Another section on "Sanding" includes the lyrics to a little sanding song Mr. Johnson "often sings" while sanding. Sand, sand, sand your wood, Looking at the grain, When you think your work is done, It's time to start again. Back to work, kids!
In conclusion, "There are many more wonderful experiences to explore with wood. I wish we didn't have to stop here, but we do. Thank you for sharing in this experience."
Thank you, Mr. Johnson.
Now finish sanding my new dining set, Timmy.
The name of the book is Easy Woodstuff for Kids, by David Thompson, with illustrations by Stacy Buhler. You can purchase it here for only one penny!
There are no pictures available on Amazon, so let me tell you about the cover! It shows a little Asian girl with thick bangs and OshKosh overalls looking dejectedly at a piece of string tied around some twigs. On a table in front of her there are, from L-R: a wooden tool box with some tools, a bit of a tree branch with some pencils stuck in it, and finally, a wooden plank with a teapot on it! But there are even more fun projects floating in the sky behind her head! Including: a piece of wood with a wooden cylinder sticking out of it! And, a piece of wood with some twigs glued to it!
Opening the book, we find the enticing table of contents, including such sections as "Sticks Are Made of Wood" where we can find instructions for projects such as "Write Your Name With Sticks." I can't wait until we get to "Scrap Wood Projects" like "A Wooden Trivet Made From A Piece Of Scrap Wood" and "Plywood Projects" like "A Tray Made From Three Pieces Of Plywood" and "The Magic Broom Holder"! I wonder what makes it magic!
Mr. Johnson's introduction is illuminating: "Children move quickly. Their hands move from one thing to another before we can see them. They have to be slowed down. Part of our role is slowing them down, making them conscious of what they are doing, and giving them the opportunity to do something slowly, carefully and deliberately." I can't wait!
A section titled "Hammer" lets us know that "Children love to hammer, but in order to hammer well, they need a good hammer." Another section on "Sanding" includes the lyrics to a little sanding song Mr. Johnson "often sings" while sanding. Sand, sand, sand your wood, Looking at the grain, When you think your work is done, It's time to start again. Back to work, kids!
In conclusion, "There are many more wonderful experiences to explore with wood. I wish we didn't have to stop here, but we do. Thank you for sharing in this experience."
Thank you, Mr. Johnson.
Now finish sanding my new dining set, Timmy.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
God Bless Our First Amendment Rights
My hometown paper has a wonderful feature where anyone can call in and tell it how they see it, and the paper will print whatever you say. The things people work up the energy to call in and say...remarkable!
We like the Christmas displays, liberals
I wanted to say thank you to all the wonderful people that did all the work at Christmastime putting up all those Christmas lights and displays. We went out three or four times and we were just absolutely thrilled with all the displays. They were just beautiful. Happy New Year. The liberals and the enemies lost big-time.
Yeah, all those liberals with their strict anti-cheer policy can go straight to hell. Why don't they just phone up Osama and dance on a mall Santa cloaked in an American flag to celebrate Razzamadazz or whatever that pro-gloom Islamicky festival is called?
There's no global warming; it snowed
I just wanted to say so much for global warming. I live in Paradise and I've got about 4 inches of snow on the ground.
It SNOWED??? Why wasn't this on the National News?! What have I been saying this whole time? I told you it wasn't getting any hotter!
Those bullet shot holes are ridiculous
It's Dec. 27. It's about 4:45. There's a brand-new PT Cruiser in front of me and they have those fake little bullet shot holes and I think that's utterly ridiculous and I don't think it's funny. I've seen them on other cars before.
It's Jan. 2. It's about 4:53. There's a newspaper in front of me and it has a complaint about fake bullet holes ("bullet shot" holes, it calls them) on car rear windshields, and I think that's utterly ridiculous. I've seen silly complaints before, but this one wins.
How do you get rid of grease stains?
Does anybody out there have a remedy for grease stains on dark colors? I've tried everything.
Spilled a little barbecue sauce on your suit at Aunt Millie's wake? Get the grease out of black fabric using dish detergent. You can still make it to Cousin Sue's wedding and stop her from marrying that awful Ted guy! Run, man, run!
We like the Christmas displays, liberals
I wanted to say thank you to all the wonderful people that did all the work at Christmastime putting up all those Christmas lights and displays. We went out three or four times and we were just absolutely thrilled with all the displays. They were just beautiful. Happy New Year. The liberals and the enemies lost big-time.
Yeah, all those liberals with their strict anti-cheer policy can go straight to hell. Why don't they just phone up Osama and dance on a mall Santa cloaked in an American flag to celebrate Razzamadazz or whatever that pro-gloom Islamicky festival is called?
There's no global warming; it snowed
I just wanted to say so much for global warming. I live in Paradise and I've got about 4 inches of snow on the ground.
It SNOWED??? Why wasn't this on the National News?! What have I been saying this whole time? I told you it wasn't getting any hotter!
Those bullet shot holes are ridiculous
It's Dec. 27. It's about 4:45. There's a brand-new PT Cruiser in front of me and they have those fake little bullet shot holes and I think that's utterly ridiculous and I don't think it's funny. I've seen them on other cars before.
It's Jan. 2. It's about 4:53. There's a newspaper in front of me and it has a complaint about fake bullet holes ("bullet shot" holes, it calls them) on car rear windshields, and I think that's utterly ridiculous. I've seen silly complaints before, but this one wins.
How do you get rid of grease stains?
Does anybody out there have a remedy for grease stains on dark colors? I've tried everything.
Spilled a little barbecue sauce on your suit at Aunt Millie's wake? Get the grease out of black fabric using dish detergent. You can still make it to Cousin Sue's wedding and stop her from marrying that awful Ted guy! Run, man, run!
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